SubRosa - No Help For the Mighty Ones

Subrosa - No Help for the Mighty Ones
Profound Lore




Emerging from the unlikely town of Salt Lake City, Utah, SubRosa come to the table with a whole other flavor of doom metal. Using violins with the classic guitar/bass/drums band line up, the group executes haunting and ethereal doom songs. There is no shortage of deep, heavy rumbling going on here, but coupled with the violins and the vocals of not one, but two ladies, Rebecca Vernon and Sarah Pendleton, SubRosa create a harrowing yet meditative experience on No Help For the Mighty Ones.

SubRosa keep things interesting with elements of blues-based rock, sludge and stoner rock, but rarely do I get to hear a doom album that I would consider to be as beautiful as it is desolate. Those who love their doom/sludge/stoner sounds but are looking for something refreshing need look no further.

Recommended for fans of Witch Mountain, 40 Watt Sun and Dark Castle.

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Robocop - Robocop II

Robocop - Robocop II
Grind core Karaoke




Robocop were from Orono, Maine but unfortunately they recently called it quits. I guess you could call Robocop a grindcore band, and you wouldn't be wrong, especially since their latest release, Robocop II, was released by Grindcore Karaoke, a label Daryl recently jocked on here with other greats like Kunt Puncher, Inerds, Cloud Rat and Wadge. The thing is, Robocop wasn't content to be just a grindcore band, and this album thoroughly puts grind in the blender with power violence, thrash, noise and even sludge.

The results are a cacophonous, blast of ear-bleeding goodness, along with audio clips from the movie... you guessed it: Robocop 2! People who like their music putrid and unsociable are invited, all others must fuck off and die.

Recommended for fans of Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck, Wadge and Bastard Noise.


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Dickkicker - 3 Songs EP

Dickkicker - 3 Songs EP
Gaines St. Records




Being a huge fan of Dickkicker's last release, Somniloquent, I was definitely stoked to hear new material from this Floridian trio. Aside from being way too short with only three tracks to take in, the EP does exactly what the band wants it to, which is to kick in your proverbial dick.

These guys are considered stoner rock, and they are that, but to me they are just as much a noise rock band. Every song I've heard by them is punchy as all hell and just wants to burst right out of the speakers and kick some ass. Unlike a lot of other bands going for this sound, these guys also come across like they're having fun, rather than just bemoaning the shitty state of everything. Dickkicker's music not only makes you want to rock the fuck out, it makes you want to party while you're doing it.

Recommended for fans of Big Business, Slabdragger and Animal Skins.

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Rotting Hills - Humans Vile Path

Rotting Hills - Humans Vile Path
Independent




It's so awesome to hear some great doom/sludge coming out of Vancouver! I know there are other local bands playing in this arena of doom/sludge/stoner, and some pretty damn good ones actually (Bison, Massgrave, Corazon, Depressing and Weirding come to mind), but none of them are really doing the doom side of things. Not only that, but Rotting Hills bring something unique to the table with five drummers, two guitars and one bass. The group only has one track up on bandcamp at this point, but seeing as it's around 20 minutes long, it should keep you satiated until they get more music out there.

The track in question, "Humans Vile Path," is a long, burly and corrosive journey whose points get absolutely hammered home with many drums raining down, numbing your skull in the best of ways. Thick, muddy riffs absorb some of the clatter and maniacal vocals show up periodically to terrify you out of the hypnosis. The low end paces along underneath everything like the slow saunter of Jason Vorhees in the deep woods, holding it all together. This is a band that I will be sure to check out live and soon; you should do the same if you're in the Van city area, and I will be keeping my fingers crossed for more recorded material from these guys.

Recommended for fans of Hooded Menace, The Body and Burning Witch.

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Starve - Black Sludge, White Sludge EP

Starve - Black Sludge, White Sludge EP
Badger Records


Sludge doesn't come much more depressing than this. I mentioned Starve in my review of the Planks/Narsaak split; their 2010 album Wasteland was a favorite, and here they are with a new two-track EP of their own entitled Black Sludge, White Sludge.

The first track has more of a blues feel akin to newer Electric Wizard or classic Crowbar, while the second track just wants to stomp a mudhole in you. Starve have to be taken seriously in the vast, swampy field that is sludge, as one can play their releases right alongside classics of the genre. Recommended heavily for lovers of Eyehategod, Ramesses and Rwake.

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Planks/Narsaak - Split EP

Planks/Narsaak - Split EP
Decoy Industry




Here's a new split from Planks, whose previous full length, The Darkest of Grays, I was a big fan of, and Narsaak who I was previously unaware of. Unfortunately this release has only one track from Planks, who play an aggressive and miserable brand of sludge by way of hardcore punk. Planks was one of the bleakest sludge bands I heard last year, and that's saying something. Fans of groups like Starve and Haarp, and older classics like Grief, Iron Monkey and Noothgrush would do well to listen to these guys.

Also coming from Germany, Narsaak play a slightly more straight forward barrage of crusty hardcore and deliver it quickly and roughly over three tracks here. Narsaak are competent at what they are doing but a whole lot less interesting to me than Planks, so I'm not sure if I would wholeheartedly recommend this release. Definitely seek out The Darkest of Grays by Planks, though, if you're a fan of depressing, angsty sludge. Apparently Planks also has a new album out entitled Solicit to Fall.

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Cara Neir - Stagnant Perceptions

Cara Neir - Stagnant Perceptions
Independent




Cara Neir are a two-piece band out of Dallas, Texas playing an intense blend of black metal, hardcore, crust, screamo (old school) and even some sludge influences. Their latest effort is self-released and will melt your face off with harsh despairing vocals, buzz saw guitar work and some seriously pummeling drums. The production here isn't the best, but with such an aural assault being laid down coupled with the group's adherence to the raw nihilism of black metal, perhaps it's just right after all.

What surprised me was the groups softer, even contemplative moments that show up out of nowhere like a post-rock birthday party. Hello, wasn't expecting to see you here in the dim dusk of all this misery.

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